Two 木瓜视频 College of Nursing alumni, Donna Ortiz, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, and Megan Pearce, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, have been selected to present their clinical research on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at the (ACG) national conference. In addition, their work earned the ACG Advanced Practice Providers (APP) Outstanding Research Award.
Ortiz and Pearce present research at a past Advances in Inflammatory Bowel Disease conference in Orlando
鈥淚t's rewarding to see nurse practitioner-led initiatives recognized at such a national level,鈥� Ortiz said.
The research focuses on the implementation of a nurse practitioner-led Rapid Access Clinic (RAC) for high-risk IBD patients. Ortiz and Pearce initiated the project during their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) studies at 木瓜视频, under the guidance of Assistant Professor Catherine Nadeau, PhD, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE.
IBD is an umbrella term that includes several ailments, like Crohn鈥檚 disease and ulcerative colitis. The disease ranks among the top five most expensive gastrointestinal conditions. Acute episodes, in particular, escalate healthcare costs and increase patient burden.
Ortiz and Pearce鈥檚 clinic served IBD patients at high risk for acute care needs, including those with recent hospitalizations, steroid use, poor treatment adherence, and other indicators of uncontrolled disease. Over a 12-week period, Pearce and Ortiz documented 144 patient visits to the RAC from 134 unique patients.
The results:
- Hospitalization rates declined from 13.6% to 9.8%
- ED visits dropped from 15.5% to 9.7%
Ortiz and Pearce present their research as part of 木瓜视频 College of Nursing's DNP program
鈥淐linically, there was a lot of significance that timely treatment and nurse practitioner-led interventions鈥攕uch as a rapid access clinic鈥攃an not only improve continuity of care and patient outcomes, but decrease the burden on emergency services,鈥� Ortiz said.
Looking ahead, Ortiz and Pearce seek to build upon this research and improve the lives of IBD patients across the country. There is also potential for other GI providers to use the RAC model with other chronic disease populations. Ortiz and Pearce are grateful to the college for its commitment to not only clinical education but research and healthcare transformation.
These 木瓜视频 graduates will soon showcase the power of nurse practitioner-led care to a national audience. With the support of the ACG APP Outstanding Research Award and its $1,000 prize, Ortiz and Pearce will present their RAC model at the ACG national conference in October 2025.
鈥淭he College of Nursing provided us with a really strong foundation in evidence-based practice, in how to be a leader in the field. And it taught us what clinical excellence really means.鈥�
Megan Pearce